The Great Ryan Rescue-Last pieces---at long last.

Several months ago, I had nearly finished this Blog, when....kablooey, some sort of computer glitch wiped out the rest of the story. So here it is, the rest of the story:

After returning from lunch, we saw that Ryan had not been over to the hotel. So we went to go see if he was ok.

As it happened , Janice had been home, accused Ryan of knowing ahead of time that Tammy was in town and they had a painful exchange, which, by Ryan's account ended in him telling Janice he was (and had always been) in love with Tammy.

Janice was not there when we arrived, neither was Ryan's Jeep. Janice drove it to a friend/family member's and left it there.  By accounts, Janice did that quite often.

While I was ruminating and saddened over the situation that this cute dog was finding shelter from the baking sun, underneath a decrepit recliner, rusticating in the front yard, Ryan was explaining all of this to Tammy.

Once again , we mounted the Land Yacht and drove to collect Ryan's Jeep and then headed over to the hotel.

Ryan and Tammy talked and talked and talked some more. They talked about what happened and why Ryan didn't call (he honestly believed that Tammy wouldn't believe that he was trapped by Janice).

They talked about what they wanted to do.

They talked about Tammy's hopes for their relationship.

Things were winding down to a less emotional state when the phone rang and the person at the front desk said that Janice wanted to come to the room .

We came out...Ryan was insistent that he didn't want to discuss things any further with her.

In hindsight...this would turn out to be one of the few cogent choices made during this rescue mission.

I wish I would have listened to him, rather than convincing him to go back to the hotel room and hash things out.

 But hindsight is 20/20.

We did go back to the hotel room and Ryan stated , what he had said before . He was in love with Tammy and (if she would have him) he would be going to Florida.

The things that Janice said during that conversation would have made June (Honey-Boo-boo's mom) blush.

It was made clear to both Tammy and me , that she was (at least one of) the  cause of Ryan's captivity and abuse.

 I would like to believe , after that huge  hump  it was all uphill from there.

It was not.

 After that, Janice's daughter called and threatened Tammy and called her a "jezebel" (I seriously didn't think anyone used that term outside of Bible study any more).

We were informed (and I don't really recall who told us this) that the cemetery plot, where Ryan's mother was to be interred was being rescinded and there would be no funeral the next day.

Also, Ryan's brother , who , the previous day, we had had lunch with and seemed to be appreciative (if not grateful) that Tammy capped the funds for the funeral services to proceed, stopped communicating with us.

 All this was followed by a plethora of stories (from Ryan) about the ill behavior of this family--especially at funerals.  Concern was such that, Ryan called and asked for a police presence at his Mother's funeral.

When we arrived , at the funeral,  they all seemed loaded for bear. Surrounding the distraught Ryan, closing ranks around him. The previously social and appreciative brother not speaking to either Tammy or me.

The police offer was there and pardon the pun but he was big as a bear and vigilant.  

In the midst of this the funeral director needed a meeting with the "family". Tammy was included in the group on Ryan's behest...and me....I was relegated to the LGBT corner, which was interesting and non-confrontational.  I was just beginning to feel a bit at ease, when Tammy, and Ryan walking rapidly toward the door said to me "We're leaving".

I was saying "Hello" and Good-bye", to one of the few people who seems to really care for Ryan , whom I had never met, when , from behind me and urgent "Kim! Get in the Car!" , I got in the car. That's when I saw to my disbelief we were actually being chased, by Janice's family, out of the Funeral Home.

Then there was "the hook". Janice's daughter pulled a box of "Ryan's things" from her truck and Ryan wanted them. We were almost out of the parking lot.  We stopped.

She slung the box into his lap, and pressed her head into the open car door and said "I'm going to get your ass before you leave this county , don't you doubt that , you bitch!" which she spat in Tammy's direction.

Tammy, kept her head down and offered no response. Tammy is no stranger to physical abuse.

As we were on the way out of the parkinglot, Ryan discovered they were all of his and Tammy's wedding pictures (that Tammy had put in an album for him)  . All of these mementos had been torn and cut into pieces.

We made egress with great alacrity, needless to say.